1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal projector including an inorganic polarizer.
2. Related Art
A liquid crystal projector includes a liquid crystal optical element serving as a light modulation device. A liquid crystal optical element is known in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pair of substrates arranged to be opposite each other. Electrodes are formed on the pair of substrates to apply a voltage to the liquid crystal layer. An incidence-side polarizing element and an emission-side polarizing element are respectively arranged on the external sides of the substrates, and predetermined polarized light is incident on and emitted from the liquid crystal layer. Meanwhile, in the liquid crystal projector, in order to obtain a black projected image, it is necessary that the emission-side polarizing element absorbs entire light energy. For this reason, a temperature rise in the emission-side polarizing element is especially noticeable. Thus, for example, a technique is known in which two polarizing elements are arranged on the emission side, an emission pre-polarizing element arranged immediately after a liquid crystal optical element absorbs most light energy, and an emission main polarizing element arranged at the subsequent stage improves the contrast of the projected image. The polarizing element is formed of an inorganic material so as to obtain higher heat resistance. The polarizing element includes a substrate, a reflective layer formed on the substrate, a dielectric layer formed on the reflective layer, and an inorganic particulate layer formed on the dielectric layer (for example, see JP-A-2008-216957).
However, when the polarizing element is used as an emission pre-polarizing element, emitting light is given optical activity depending on the form of arrangement of the inorganic particulate layer. As a result, leakage light intensity from the emission main polarizing element increases and the contrast of the liquid crystal projector is lowered.